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Erica (Thorp) de Berry to Joseph Gilbert Thorp Jr. and Anne Allegra (Longfellow) Thorp, 25 April 1917
Manuscript letter
[printed letterhead: Pine Mountain Settlement School]
April 25th
Dearest Papa and Mamma,
Thank you both so much for your wonderful letters, and for all the presents, big and small, that have come from you both these last weeks. I appreciated so tremendously your sending Katrine down – and then Sumner! Such a time as we had with all four of them!! It was glorious, and things couldn’t have worked out better ^with the men^ for it made it so much more fun for Marcus ^& Sumner^ to be here with them. Wasn’t it great of him
[written cross in L margin]
Mamma, your candles in their branch sockets light up the dogwood and judas-tree on our mantelpiece so entrancingly!
(p.2) to come! Sitoo will have told you all the details of our various expeditions and parties, so I won’t repeat. We had absolutely perfect weather for everything, and the woods were at their height of loveliness. The fairylike dogwood floating everywhere against a hemlock background is the most exquisite thing I have ever seen! Oh, the loveliness of it that day on Gabe’s Branch when we had our swim in the green pool! Papa, your pictures are wonders! Everyone’s ecstatic over them, and
[printed letterhead: Pine Mountain Settlement School]
(p.3) anxious to borrow the films. I thought I might take orders for a few and have them pay me. How much does that size print cost? And the grapefruit and oranges! Nothing could have gone more to the spot or arrived at a more psychological moment. We used them for porch breakfasts and fire light parties ad infinitum, and except for a few oranges, they all kept perfectly.
And Mamma, the children adored the Kewpies! They love little dolls more than any other kind, and I (p.4) gave them to all my boys, who are as fond of dolls as any of the girls.
I enclose some pictures which Miss Cathcart sent me for you Papa—two of the Petre Rock picnic, and one showing the pie-crust waves on the top of the mt. I have acknowledged them, but in case you want to thank her, too, her address is
Miss Celia Cathcart Neighborhood House
Louisville, Ky.
Dr Little is coming back after all! Isn’t that joyful! She arrives next Tuesday, possibly with Edith, if she seems well enough.
[printed letterhead: Pine Mountain Settlement School]
(p.5) We’ve been baking in regular mid-summer heat, with delicious, soft evenings outdoors, writing and eating on our mediaeval board outside Pole House. The rye is tall enough to hide the children and blossoms are out everywhere. If you could see the mountain in its young green splendor! Tonight all is thundery and sultry, with heat lightning playing about the hills in vivid flashes. We’re actually praying for rain, after a 2 weeks drought.
(p.6) Oh, Mamma, if only, only only you could have been here!
But we won’t think of it any more
Didn’t we send Sitoo back with a good old burn! Both she and Katrine looked so much better for their sleeps and outdoors. I miss them so!
Well, its only four weeks more --- and then!! I’m going to begin to send winter things back now, so don’t be surprised at the bundles which arrive! –
Bestest love to everyone and everything.
From
Bun.
[written cross up L margin]
Papa, Beatrice can’t get a passport, as they don’t issue them to women so that seems to settle things temporarily.
April 25th
Dearest Papa and Mamma,
Thank you both so much for your wonderful letters, and for all the presents, big and small, that have come from you both these last weeks. I appreciated so tremendously your sending Katrine down – and then Sumner! Such a time as we had with all four of them!! It was glorious, and things couldn’t have worked out better ^with the men^ for it made it so much more fun for Marcus ^& Sumner^ to be here with them. Wasn’t it great of him
[written cross in L margin]
Mamma, your candles in their branch sockets light up the dogwood and judas-tree on our mantelpiece so entrancingly!
(p.2) to come! Sitoo will have told you all the details of our various expeditions and parties, so I won’t repeat. We had absolutely perfect weather for everything, and the woods were at their height of loveliness. The fairylike dogwood floating everywhere against a hemlock background is the most exquisite thing I have ever seen! Oh, the loveliness of it that day on Gabe’s Branch when we had our swim in the green pool! Papa, your pictures are wonders! Everyone’s ecstatic over them, and
[printed letterhead: Pine Mountain Settlement School]
(p.3) anxious to borrow the films. I thought I might take orders for a few and have them pay me. How much does that size print cost? And the grapefruit and oranges! Nothing could have gone more to the spot or arrived at a more psychological moment. We used them for porch breakfasts and fire light parties ad infinitum, and except for a few oranges, they all kept perfectly.
And Mamma, the children adored the Kewpies! They love little dolls more than any other kind, and I (p.4) gave them to all my boys, who are as fond of dolls as any of the girls.
I enclose some pictures which Miss Cathcart sent me for you Papa—two of the Petre Rock picnic, and one showing the pie-crust waves on the top of the mt. I have acknowledged them, but in case you want to thank her, too, her address is
Miss Celia Cathcart Neighborhood House
Louisville, Ky.
Dr Little is coming back after all! Isn’t that joyful! She arrives next Tuesday, possibly with Edith, if she seems well enough.
[printed letterhead: Pine Mountain Settlement School]
(p.5) We’ve been baking in regular mid-summer heat, with delicious, soft evenings outdoors, writing and eating on our mediaeval board outside Pole House. The rye is tall enough to hide the children and blossoms are out everywhere. If you could see the mountain in its young green splendor! Tonight all is thundery and sultry, with heat lightning playing about the hills in vivid flashes. We’re actually praying for rain, after a 2 weeks drought.
(p.6) Oh, Mamma, if only, only only you could have been here!
But we won’t think of it any more
Didn’t we send Sitoo back with a good old burn! Both she and Katrine looked so much better for their sleeps and outdoors. I miss them so!
Well, its only four weeks more --- and then!! I’m going to begin to send winter things back now, so don’t be surprised at the bundles which arrive! –
Bestest love to everyone and everything.
From
Bun.
[written cross up L margin]
Papa, Beatrice can’t get a passport, as they don’t issue them to women so that seems to settle things temporarily.
Archives Number: 1006/004.006.002-005#014
U. S. National Park Service
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Courtesy of National Park Service, Longfellow House-Washington's Headquarters National Historic Site; Archives Number 1006/004.006.002-005#014
Public domain
Erica Thorp deBerry Papers (1006/004.006), (LONG-SeriesName)
, Correspondence, Outgoing (1006/004.006.002), (LONG-SubseriesName)
, 1917 (1006/004.006.002-005), (LONG-FileUnitName)
, Correspondence, Outgoing (1006/004.006.002), (LONG-SubseriesName)
, 1917 (1006/004.006.002-005), (LONG-FileUnitName)
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Longfellow House - Washington's Headquarters National Historic Site, Code: LONG
Longfellow House - Washington's Headquarters National Historic Site, Middlesex County, Massachusetts
Latitude: 42.3769989013672, Longitude: -71.1264038085938
Latitude: 42.3769989013672, Longitude: -71.1264038085938
NPS Museum Number Catalog : LONG 27930
Title: Finding Aid to the Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882) Family Papers, 1768-1972 (Bulk dates 1825-1950)
URL: https://www.nps.gov/long/learn/historyculture/archives.htm#HWLFP
URL: https://www.nps.gov/long/learn/historyculture/archives.htm#HWLFP
2016-01-30
04/25/1917
Manuscript letter in Henry Wadsworth Longfellow Family Papers, Erica Thorp deBerry Papers, Correspondence, Outgoing. (1006/004.006.002)
Public Can View
Organization: Longfellow House-Washington's Headquarters National Historic Site
Address: 105 Brattle Street, Cambridge, MA 02138
Email: LONG_archives@nps.gov
Address: 105 Brattle Street, Cambridge, MA 02138
Email: LONG_archives@nps.gov
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